Q&As
MEET OUR TALENT

Our hospital attracts some of the best and brightest medical minds from around the world. Discover what inspired them to pursing a career in healthcare, the most exciting innovations in their field, and what you’ll find them doing when they aren’t at work.

Q&As

Dr. Jay BaltzWinner of the 2024 Dr. J. David Grimes Research Career Achievement Award
Dr. Jay Baltz’s career and the first test-tube baby are about the same age. When the senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital first started in his field, researchers were struggling with a puzzle that was blocking the progress of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Through pioneering research and his work with one of the creators of… Continue Reading A fertile field yields award-winning research: meet Dr. Jay Baltz, winner of the 2024 Dr. J. David Grimes Research Career Achievement Award 
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Dr. Michael Verret2024 recipient of the Grimshaw Researcher in Training Award
Whether he’s speeding down a mountain on his bike, or snowboard, or administering anesthesia to a patient in the operating room (OR), Dr. Michael Verret is no stranger to making decisions under pressure. Driven by curiosity, the anesthesiologist from Québec City decided to add research to his portfolio by becoming a clinician-scientist.  Dr. Verret recently… Continue Reading Game-time decisions on the hills and in the OR: meet anesthesiologist Dr. Michael Verret, recipient of the 2024 Grimshaw Researcher in Training Award
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Dr. Michael OngHe/himOncologist
Fighting the good fight on the lab bench or at the patient bedside: Dr. Michael Ong is an oncologist and associate professor at The Ottawa Hospital who has spent his career discovering new therapies against cancer by enrolling patients in clinical trials. His research and practice have focussed on prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and melanoma,… Continue Reading Finding cancer’s Achilles heel with clinical trials: meet oncologist Dr. Michael Ong
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Dr. Jacinthe Lampronshe/herTrauma Medical Director and Clinical Investigator
When a trauma case bursts through the doors at The Ottawa Hospital, it’s Dr. Jacinthe Lampron’s team taking it on. As the Trauma Medical Director and a Clinical Investigator, Dr. Lampron is constantly working on improving our trauma care — whether directly with patients or through her quality improvement research. When every second counts, Dr.… Continue Reading Lessons from Afghanistan and taking the pulse of the city: meet Trauma Medical Director Dr. Jacinthe Lampron
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Dr. Vimoj NairRadiation oncologist
Surgery without surgery — it sounds like a riddle, but it’s what Dr. Vimoj Nair does every day at The Ottawa Hospital. As a radiation oncologist, Dr. Nair specializes in radiosurgery, an extremely precise form of radiation that doesn’t involve a single incision. By using exciting new technology like the CyberKnife and conducting practice-changing research,… Continue Reading Radiation oncology and the right dose: meet Dr. Vimoj Nair
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Dr. Safraz MohammedStaff Neurosurgeon
When Dr. Safraz Mohammed was a young boy, he could picture himself as a doctor, but he didn’t necessarily picture himself as a neurosurgeon in Canada.  But today, as Staff Neurosurgeon at The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Mohammed is pushing the boundaries of neurosurgery through his work on awake brain surgery and commitment to educating the… Continue Reading Kindergarten, kidneys, and Kitts’s motto: Meet Dr. Safraz Mohammed
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Dr. Kwadwo KyeremantengHead of the Critical Care Department
Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng describes himself as “on a mission to keep you out of the ICU.” It’s not that he doesn’t want to see you; it’s more that he doesn’t want to have to treat you. A researcher, clinician, and advocate for The Ottawa Hospital’s ICU and palliative care, Dr. Kyeremanteng’s focus is on preventing… Continue Reading The doctor “on a mission to keep you out of the ICU”: Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng
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Dr. Kawan Rakhra he/himRadiologist
If you saw Dr. Kawan Rakhra at work, at a glance you might think he was slacking off and playing video games. But don’t be fooled, donning a classic gamer’s headset is part of the accomplished radiologist’s critical work.  Dr. Rakhra is also a clinical investigator at The Ottawa Hospital, and he specializes in musculoskeletal… Continue Reading Where’s Waldo? Healthcare Edition: Meet radiologist Dr. Kawan Rakhra 
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Dr Barbara Vanderhyden
Dr. Barbara Vanderhydenshe/herSenior Scientist
Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden has spent her career looking for the metaphorical missing pieces to some of ovarian cancer’s most complex puzzles. As a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, professor at the University of Ottawa, and Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research, Dr. Vanderhyden’s work makes a 3,000-piece puzzle look like child’s play. From… Continue Reading Puzzling physiology and sucking eggs
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